Coming Clean
by Taisi
Summary: Kenshin has secrets. Sano had no idea how dark when he asked. SanoKen


_Coming Clean_

"I'm afraid I will have to ask you to stop what you're doing this very moment if you wish to continue living with all four of your limbs."

Kenshin's voice was cold as it cut through the still night air; I repressed the urge to shiver as I glanced over at him. His eyes were a steely purple, and his expression was nothing less than murderous; I took a moment to pray for divine intervention should I ever do anything to earn that look.

Kaoru was back at the dojo--I was glad; if she'd been here, she only would've gotten in the way, crying about Kenshin returning to the manslayer he used to be--I liked Kaoru and all, but her constant worrying over Kenshin's strength of self really pissed me off. Yahiko was with us, and I smiled at the pride in his smirk; everytime he looked at Kenshin, I saw the absolute adoration and trust in his eyes that a child might have for his father.

I returned my attention back to our opponent; he wasn't someone worth fighting, just a drunk off the street who decided to have a little too much fun. In his grasp was a young boy, younger probably than Yahiko. I could feel all of Kenshin's focus on the child, and knew with one hundred percent absolute faith that that kid would be coming safely back with us to the dojo before the night was over. Sure enough, Kenshin was unsheathing his sword now, and holding it out before him to let it catch in the soft moonlight. Yahiko and I both knew this was for show, but the stranger did not.

"I assure you," Kenshin said in that frightening voice, "that I will show you no mercy."

"Yeah, ya big bully!" Yahiko snapped, completely unfazed by Kenshin's cold demeanor. "You better let him go, or we'll kick your ass!"

"That's right," I felt the need to add with a careless smirk. "Now're you going to hand the kid over or what? Your call."

"You can have him!" the drunk stuttered, eyes wide and dark with fear when Kenshin began walking towards him.

"Go to the police and turn yourself in," the swordsman said in a chilling tone, "if your life is at all precious to you."

"I-I will!" the man stumbled back a few steps, throwing the child to the ground in front of Kenshin. "I will right now! Just don't kill me."

Kenshin's eyes flashed unforgivingly and he hissed, "Make it to the station before I do, and consider yourself lucky." The bastard turned and ran, tripping over himself; there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he'd be begging the cops to jail him. Kenshin resheathed his sword, and I saw those eyes gentle when they fell upon the whimpering, shaking little mess of a boy. "Hey there," he said softly, reaching out to touch the child's hair. "Are you...Can you stand?"

I frowned at Kenshin's falter, but said nothing. The boy looked up warily, fear and mistrust written across his features; but Kenshin's smiling face put him to ease almost at once. I didn't blame the kid; Kenshin's smiles were like miracles in and of themselves. The little boy started sobbing now, wiping his eyes with trembling fists. When Kenshin slowly opened his arms to the boy, letting him know it was his choice whether or not Kenshin touched him, the boy fell into them, clinging to the small hope he had with all his might.

"There now," the gentle wanderer said soothingly, "there's no need for tears." He turned to look at me, and I saw a painful empathy in his eyes that left me breathless. "Sano, might you lend him your jacket?"

I blinked, and muttered, "Oh, of course!" sliding it off at once and handing it over. Kenshin wrapped it around the shuddering child, and then turned. "Let's go," he said, smiling at Yahiko when he passed the boy, if only to reassure him. "I'm sure Miss Megumi will be willing to tend to him, and Miss Kaoru is probably wondering what happened to us."

The walk back to the dojo was a silent affair; I could sense Kenshin's focus trained to every sound and shadow, even his step was light. Yahiko trotted beside him, gazing up with concern at the child in his hero's arms.

I couldn't get the sight of that look in his eyes out of my head.

* * *

Megumi was, as Kenshin predicted, willing to treat the boy. She all but attacked us for him; only Kenshin's quiet warning not to upset the child made her bite back her alarm. Kaoru stood, running to us, whispering, "Kenshin, what happened?"

But Kenshin merely stroked the boy's hair back and smiled softly, holding a finger to his lips with his other hand. Kaoru hesitated, then nodded, backing a few steps away. Kenshin looked around for Yahiko, beckoning him over. "I was wondering if you would help me, Yahiko," the gentle man said quietly, "in calming this poor boy down."

"Of course, Kenshin!" Yahiko plopped himself down right in front of the kid, who looked to be a few years younger than the trainee. "I'm Yahiko. You'll be okay now. I won't let anything happen to you!" The adorable confidence in his voice made the rest of us smile; even the boy, still trembling, looking a little less apprehensive. But when Kenshin made to stand, he flung his arms back around him, pleadingly.

Kenshin looked startled for a moment, before his expression smoothed out into one of gentle understanding. He picked the boy up and said, "Shall I stay with you until you fall asleep?" The boy nodded piteously. Kenshin smiled again, brushing back the child's hair. He seemed to know what touches the boy would want, how close he would want to be held. I frowned to myself, but once more stayed silent.

True to his word, Kenshin waited quite patiently for the little thing to fall asleep, and then handed him to Megumi, who tucked the sleeping child into her arms, with such a caring and maternal look I stared. She laid him down in a spare pallet, and Yahiko and Kaoru ran over to help her.

This left Kenshin and I, alone on the porch, staring out over the yard. I threw a sidelong glance at him; his eyes were that scary purple again. Hesitantly, I said, "Kenshin?"

I recieved an absent, "Yes, Sano?"

His lack of attention brought back my scowl as well as my earlier disregards. "You're acting weird, Kenshin. Really weird. I know you don't talk about your past all that much, and we hardly know anything about you, but as a friend I'm kinda concerned."

He turned to look at me, surprise etched in his expression. He really wasn't used to the notion that there were people in the world who cared so much about him, and each time it was brought up in any fashion, that same look of stunned speechlessness resurfaced on his face. It made something inside me ache.

But then he smiled that careful smile, and those thoughts fell away. He turned from me again, looking out over the still night, and he said, without preamble, "When I was small, I was sold into slavery. The slave traders traveled in very remote places, because less people meant lesser chances of getting arrested. It was not uncommon for one of them to feel a sexual desire. They must've found me to be the most...pleasurable, out of their slaves. Most of the women had been there longer than I, and had lost their...charm...We were quite a small group, manned by quite a few many men." His voice, eyes and expression were cool, untouchable--he was making himself this way, turning himself stone, so that these memories would not affect him.

I, myself, however did not possess that trait, of becoming like stone. I never have. I felt the emotions in me stir and broil and I felt like murdering and avenging and crying, all at once. I settled for standing, and wrapping my arms tightly around him, holding him close the same way he'd held that boy.

"I'm here to protect you from now on, no matter what. Do you hear me?"

Kenshin was silent, but I could feel him shaking. And then he leaned back into my hold, and lifted one hand to weave his fingers through mine.

"That I do."

Owari.

A/N: DON'T ASK. I don't even know. Second Rurouni Kenshin ficlet-drabble thing.


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